The invention relates to a method of inserting supplements into a newspaper or magazine, the newspapers or magazines being conveyed through insertion equipment in which they are caused to pass individually, in an open state through an insertion station where a supplement is inserted into the open newspaper. The invention further includes an opening procedure which occurs prior to insertion and means for performing the opening procedure.
The insertion of supplements into daily newspapers is a process that has undergone considerable development in recent years. From being performed manually, the process has now developed into one that is even connected on-line to the printing press. The need for reliability is thus greatly increased, since disturbances in the process are extremely expensive.
The insertion technique currently utilized entails the newspaper produced in the press being transported by one or more conveyors to an insertion machine where it is then surrendered. The newspaper (main product) coming straight from the press is aligned in the insertion machine so that individual main products are opened with the aid of special opening mechanisms enabling one or more supplements to be inserted into the opened newspaper. The newspaper is then folded together and the complete product is carried out of the insertion machine by a new conveyor.
The process has proved complicated, extremely product-dependent and sensitive to disturbances. This results in reduced capacity, wastage of newspapers and limited reliability.
An extremely critical stage is, when the main product is to be passed from the feeding conveyor to the insertion machine. Deficiencies at this point may result in the newspaper lying incorrectly in the insertion machine, with the risk of stoppage, loss of newspapers and an unreliable insertion function or none at all.
An example of conventional technology is the use of an insertion machine comprising a continuous conveyor with a generally horizontal upper part. Pockets opening outwards are fitted externally on the conveyor. The newspaper is inserted into a pocket with its spine facing down and at one free edge (that opposite the spine) one half of the paper usually protrudes a few millimeters past the other half. One wall of the pocket may be provided with a clamp clamping the protruding edge of the newspaper half against the adjacent pocket wall, and both walls can be hinged to permit opening of the paper. The pockets with opened newspapers then pass beneath a supplement feeder which inserts a supplement into the opened newspaper. Of course several supplement feeders may be arranged one after the other if several supplements are to be inserted into each newspaper. After insertion of the supplements the pocket is closed and the newspaper with supplements is gripped to be carried away by another conveyor.
The newspaper itself is fed into its pocket by an arrangement which is in principle a supplement feeder.
When the newspaper itself is surrendered to the insertion machine, i.e. to a pocket therein, the newspaper is released from its feeder and is unrestrained until it has been caught by the pocket and its accessories. Thus, from an uncontrolled position, each newspaper must be synchronized to a well defined position in which it is to be opened. However, obviously the newspaper frequently gets caught, is located askew or is displaced in relation to the pocket. This not only affects the position of the supplement in the newspaper, but may also cause disturbance in feeding the newspapers interrupting operation, etc. Orientation and position of the newspaper differ, which is reflected in the resultant flow of papers and this in turn leads to increased risk of disturbances in following steps.